Her sixth-grade peers endure their second hour of proficiency testing while Hannah Chandler tours Stephany’s Chocolates, sampling truffles and observing the handcraft of candy making.
The educational field trip was one of several Hannah and her father, Dave, embarked on while the first week of Colorado Student Assessment Program tests began at Thomson Elementary School in Arvada. The two learn how Stephany’s Chocolates must import truffles from Switzerland where the altitude is comparable because the candies “explode” when shipped from sea level.
“Even if you’re not learning things that are academic, there’s other things you can learn about,” said Dave, who first opted Hannah out of CSAPs last year.
The parent of two has taken a rare but symbolic stand against the test that debuted in 1997. While some parents may disagree with CSAPs, few defy school policy. Others feel the test is a necessary tool to measure student achievement and whether schools and its teachers are accomplishing their educational goals.
During the week of CSAP testing, the Chandlers toured Coors Brewery, explored the Pioneer Museum and strolled through art galleries.
“I think I definitely learned something because with CSAPs, you regurgitate what you already know,” Hannah said.
Dave pulled the sixth-grader out of achievement testing after becoming aware of the CSAP controversy three years ago. He had spent 10 years on the elementary school’s accountability committee.
“I knew there was something wrong because Thomson always scored real well but was supposed to improve every year,” Dave said. “After a point, it gets hard to find those percentage points to improve. … That’s why it sets up schools for failure.”
Achievement tests aren’t what Dave opposes, he said.
“My big gripe is how long it takes. I’m not against the test. This is way beyond that now — it’s become a vicious monster,” Dave said. “Who wants to sit and be tested for that many hours? I heard people spend less time taking the bar exam than sixth graders do taking the CSAP.”
An accurate tool
Mitchell Elementary parent Deborah Johnson said the achievement testing has changed drastically since her childhood days. Deborah recalls hours-long testing throughout the school day.
“I think it’s better now — they have treats, they break it up,” Deborah said. “I don’t think it’s as big a deal as standardized testing when I was younger.”
The week of testing Deborah makes sure her sixth-grade daughter, Paige Dagger, doesn’t engage in late-night activities the evening before CSAPs.
“I always try to make sure she gets adequate rest,” Deborah said. The family’s morning habits don’t differ from any other day. Paige eats a nutritious breakfast before sauntering down the street to Mitchell, where she spends the morning crunching math equations and contemplating critical reading questions.
“I try really hard,” said Paige. Her perception contrasts sharply with that of her 20-year-old sister, Ashley. In high school, Ashley tested poorly on purpose in rebellion, Johnson said.
“Once they reach a certain age, they have a mind of their own,” she said.
But doing poorly on the test and subsequently dropping out of school did not thwart Ashley. She obtained her GED and is studying anthropology at Metropolitan State College of Denver.
By sixth grade, students have already taken the CSAPs three times.
“It doesn’t really seem like it got any harder,” Paige said.
Deborah has never considered opting her child out of the test.
“It never crossed my mind as ‘No, my child can’t take it,’” she said. “I just kind of accept it as a part of school. They have to take tests anyway.”
CSAPs reflect what students are retaining in the classroom and the curriculum’s effectiveness, Deborah said.
“I think it’s an accurate tool to see that (the school) is meeting its needs,” she said. “If they know what needs to be met, students will benefit from them as well.”
Claiming to be one of the few “lucky” elementary students, Paige releases her energy in gym class during testing week.
“We played beach ball volleyball,” she said, confirming the exercise helps alleviate stress.During testing breaks she and other students will discuss the test, or their spring break plans.
“We always say our favorite part of CSAP is we don’t have homework,” Paige said with a grin.
Is it reasonable?
Beth Celva, director of student assessment at the Colorado Department of Education, said tests like the CSAP “should not be an unusual event for a child in school.”
“Generally when you look at eight to nine hours of (CSAP) assessment, that’s what I’d expect students to spend on assessment regularly,” Celva said.
Jeffco’s assessment and research director, Carol Eaton, said sixth-graders spend two weeks testing; about nine total hours compared to 12 hours for grades five, eight and 10 who take an additional science test.
A stay-at-home father, Dave said his situation is unique because it lets him spend time with Hannah while her peers are testing. Students whose working parents might opt them out would likely remain on campus, busying themselves with other activities and risk feeling exiled.
The most common reaction Hannah experiences from peers is jealously and disbelief.
“All the kids think I’m amazing,” she said. “The think I’m so lucky. I tell them they can opt out too but they don’t believe me.”
It is inevitable that some parents will opt their children out in protest, Celva said. Those numbers last year accounted for three-tenths of 1 percent of the 450,000 students assessed statewide, she noted. “It’s barely been a blip on the screen because most parents are not adverse to seeing how their child is doing,” Celva said.
But the Coalition for Better Education claims that more than 1,000 children and parents said ‘no’ to the CSAP in 2004 and another 5,000 did not complete the test for various reasons. An additional 6,000 were unfairly assigned an unsatisfactory score, the group says.
Accountability
The CSAPs evaluate student and teacher performance based on the Colorado Model Standards. That information is depicted in accountability reports, which are tied to state funding, Celva said.
“Our goal is to provide valid information about how students are performing. If the participation rate drops, there might be ramifications. But it isn’t a trend we’ve been seeing.”
Anti-CSAP groups like the CBE claim the test is optional and parents can choose whether or not their child may take it. Celva contends Colorado state law requires 100 percent student participation.
“There is nothing in our stature that grants parents permission to opt out,” Celva said, but confirmed there is no state law that administers negative ramifications to parents or students for opting out of CSAPs.
The main hindrance associated with opting out of CSAPs is the inability for teachers to use the test as a tool the following year, Eaton said.
“The child would continue in the progress of grade levels, they could continue in all normal academic functioning, it would just be we had more limited information to work from, from the beginning of the school year when they transitioned into the next grade,” Eaton said.
The first year Dave opted Hannah out of CSAPs, he said Thomson Elementary Principal Paula Lindenberger requested a conference to discuss his opposition.
“She said, ‘Funding is tied to this. Children need to be a team and do this and you may not like it, but it’s for the good of the school,’” Dave recalled.
The conversation hasn’t swayed the Dave’s viewpoint or prevented him from distributing anti-CSAP fliers.
Angela Engel, a former Douglas County teacher who is writing a book on the CSAP controversy said the test is misused to measure schools while it’s designed to evaluate students. “The thing that people don’t understand about CSAP is that the schools pay for it. It negatively impacts the school and can jeopardize funding,” Engel said.
The state legislature last week killed a bill that would have ended the practice of docking a school’s score if a student opts out of the test.
“This really means parents don’t have a choice when it comes to the Colorado Student Assessment,” Engel said.